Turn your love for the outdoors into rewarding action. Assist with projects to help maintain and improve ecosystems and trails throughout the preserve. There is something for almost every age and ability to help with! Refreshments provided. Registration required; call 716-683-5959 to sign up.

The Tompkins County Water Resources Council will host a public meeting to discuss the Cayuga Lake Modeling Project. This project will support DEC's development of a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for phosphorus in the lake.

The meeting will be held in the Boynton Middle School cafeteria. The address for the school is 1601 N. Cayuga St., Ithaca.

Representatives from DEC and other project participants will give an overview of the project, a summary of progress to date, and an outline of the schedule moving forward.

There is a regisrtation fee to attend this workshop. Check the website for pricing information - www.swananys.org

Significant changes in the natural gas industry's sources of supply, reserves and prices are impacting solid waste management. The extraction of gas from shale formations nationwide has boosted current supplies and projected reserves, causing a decline in natural gas and electricity prices. Lower gas prices are impacting the economics of existing and planned landfill-gas-to-energy and waste-to-energy projects and causing a debate in Congress over subsidies and renewable energy quotas. Shale gas also brings
a variety of environmental and community impacts and additional waste disposal issues that must be assessed by both managers and regulators. At the same time, natural gas and bio gas are seen as a beneficial fuel for power plants and vehicles. Many private and public refuse collection fleets are switching from diesel to compressed natural gas (CNG)collection fleets for the lower emissions and lower prices. Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is also in use for some long-haul operations. The natural gas industry is providing services and incentives for such conversions.

This seminar will discuss how natural gas is impacting solid waste operations and decisions regarding landfill gas-to-energy, waste-to-energy, vehicle fueling and disposal of gas drilling waste, Congressional actions and debates on renewable energy subsidies, community concerns with gas drilling wastes and the current regulatory framework for gas disposal wastes.

Join us for our weekly after-school outings for gradeschool children. A brief indoor introduction to the season will be followed by an outdoor exploration along Five Rivers’ trails, searching for signs of the season. Each week will feature a different nature theme, with a strong emphasis on direct interaction with the outdoors. These programs are free of charge, but space is limited. Registration for any date is required by the preceding Tuesday. Parent(s) and child(ren) must accompany each other. In the event of inclement weather, outings will be cancelled. To register or for more information, call Five Rivers at 518-475-0291.

Meeting will focus on Lake Erie and Upper Niagara River fisheries, including steelhead studies, walleye status, fish passage for the Springville Dam, and habitat initiatives on the Niagara River.

The free, informational workshop, sponsored by DEC’s Lake Erie Fisheries Unit and Region 9 Fisheries offices, will take place at Woodlawn Beach State Park’s pavilion, and will begin with informal discussion, poster exhibits and DEC biologists presenting fish aging demonstrations. This will be followed by a series of presentations on Lake Erie and the Upper Niagara River. The workshop will conclude with questions and open discussion. Anyone interested is welcome to attend this free event; registration is not required to attend.

Applications for the Shooting Range Small Grants Program must be received by June 14, 2013 in order to be considered eligible. The Shooting Range Small Grants Program is a competitive grant program to assist non-profit organizations and municipalities with improvement projects for shooting ranges and related facilities. Visit the link above for more information and application materials.

At this time of year, it stays light late into the evening, which is a good thing for birds busily building nests or feeding young. Join us for an outdoor study of the evening activities of birds. Binoculars are helpful but not necessary.

Join us in celebration of Flag Day as we study birds that “fly the colors.” An indoor overview of the how and why of bird coloration will be followed by an outdoor search for bluebirds, redbirds and other birds with “patriotic” plumes. Conservation strategies for species of conservation concern will be discussed.

Join us in a salute to Father’s Day in the natural world as we compare and contrast male parenting behaviors of common creatures. An indoor overview of the varied approaches to fatherhood found among birds, mammals and other wildlife will be followed by an outdoor search for “deer” old dad. Parent(s) and child(ren) must accompany each other. This program is free, but space is limited. Please call 518-475-0291 by Wednesday, June 12 to register or for more information.

Join us for Friends of Reinstein's annual
fundraiser to support Reinstein Woods! Enjoy a delicious barbecue by Kentucky
Greg’s, bluegrass music by the Pointless Brothers and a basket raffle. Then stroll
a dessert trail featuring wild edibles. Tickets are $30.00, and are available
at Reinstein Woods or by mail with the order form on our website. Tickets must
be purchased by June 11. Call 716-683-5959 for more information.

* Special note for hunters: most hunting zones do not align with DEC's regional boundaries, so you won't find hunting seasons listed in the regional calendars. Use the statewide calendar instead.

This calendar provides a listing of all DEC-sponsored events that are open to the public. You can click on any event in the calendar to view additional details about the event. Note that the events at environmental education centers will only display in the region in which they are located, even though they serve residents from adjacent areas. We welcome people with disabilities to all of our programs. Please call the contact number ahead of time to let us know your specific needs and we will be happy to learn how we can best serve you.

We would appreciate receiving feedback from our users. Please let us know if you encounter any difficulties viewing or using this calendar by sending an email to the DEC webmaster.